I had planned to go into Austin to hit Central Market during its weekend Hatch Chile Festival, but did not make it.

Instead, I went to HEB in San Marcos, where they had the chiles without the festivities.

We moved here two summers ago, and that's the first time I ever tasted a Hatch chile. I was hooked. I love chiles, but especially that Hatch kind, because of their smokey and spicy flavor. And I love chile rellenos. Unfortunately, last summer when I tried to make rellenos with Hatch chiles, the end result was less than satisfactory.

So, I invented a recipe: Deconstructed Hatch Chile Rellenos or Chile Rellenos Without the Grease. I made this dish Saturday night for my wife and me, and we had enough for two meals.

Here's the recipe:

DECONSTRUCTED HATCH CHILE RELLENOS

6 Hatch chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and slit to lie open and flat

1 1/2 packages Mexican four-cheese mixture

3 eggs

1/3 cup cream

1/2 package goat cheese

In an 8x8 casserole dish, spread three chiles in the bottom. Cover with one-half the cheese. Layer three other chiles on top of that, and cover that layer with cheese. Mix the eggs and cream, then pour evenly over top of casserole. Crumble goat cheese on top. Cook 35 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven or until bubbly and cheese is well melted. Serve with salsa.